Pale Soldier
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: All of the countries are after one woman, a priestess named Kuri. She remains unawakened to her power, and the Amestrian military sends Ed to get her.
1. Premonition

_A woman with dark hair to her feet stood in the middle of a carnage infested field. It looked like a war zone._

_Her face was innocent but she was covered in blood._

_She held up a heart with shaking hands. "P-Please...Fullmetal Alchemist...you must help me..." _

_Then her expression darkened...and she lunged for his chest—_

Xxx

Ed woke up. That woman. She was the girl the military had sent him to find. The High Priestess, Kuri Hikawa.

Many countries were looking for her, as her power had become legend, but she was rumored to be in Amestris, unawakened to her own abilities.

As she was near Ed's age, he was sent to find her and recruit her into the military.

So now Ed was in Central, searching for her. But there had been no signs.

Ed wasn't looking, and bumped into the very girl he was searching for.

"Ah." Ed said. "Excuse me."

"No, it was my fault." Kuri said, bowing.

"Could you come with me? I'm supposed to protect you." Ed said.

"Protect me? I'm just a shrine maiden." Kuri said.

"Come with me then." Ed extended a hand to her.

Kuri took it, and the two walked past what appeared to be a jewelry store.

"What the—where are we?! What is that thing?!" Kuri pointed at what appeared to be a lizard chimera choking the owner.

Ed quickly took stock of the situation with the information he'd been given and explained to her.

"You are of the Watanabe coven. That chimera is after the pendant that is your birthright. You must take it!" Ed urged.

"I-I can't do that!" Kuri snapped.

The chimera approached, dropping the woman. "Watanabe..."

He reached for her and grabbed her by the neck. Ed moved to protect her, but it wasn't necessary.

"N-No!" A burst of pure silver light and the chimera was thrown off and turned into a human, who ran away.

Kuri fell to her knees, trembling, and picked up the pendant the chimera had left.

Ed approached and put it around her neck.

"It belongs to you...High Priestess."

Xxx

_Riza was lying in the ruins of a city. It was completely destroyed and everyone was dead._

"_What's happening? Where is everyone?" _

_She looked around. _

"_That's right...everyone is dead already." Riza cradled her gun in her hand._

_Roy was standing in front of her, sword drawn. "Don't be afraid, Lieutenant. We still have time. We must find the Darkness, and destroy it. It is the only way to stop this from happening. It is up to you and me." _

_Riza covered her face, and began to cry._

Xxx

Riza entered the Central office. She wanted to ask Roy about the dream.

She sat down, and began her work, waiting for a chance to ask him..

"You hear it, don't you." Roy said. "The wind is rustling."

"What is it that you want from me, Colonel?" Riza said, wondering if Roy knew her dreams.

"I just want to know if you can hear it." Roy said simply.

"No I-I can't." Riza snapped and left.


	2. Awakening

Riza was at the gun range and Roy was watching.

"You seem to know a lot about me," Riza said.

"You are like me after all. We share the same dream." Roy said. "But it's imaginary after all"

Riza became angry. "It isn't imaginary! I can see it in my destiny, just like you."

"Is that what you want?" Roy said.

"It doesn't matter. There's nothing that someone like me could do." Riza said.

Riza was working later when she heard a sound of pain from Roy's office.

Riza approached him when he transformed into a monster. The monster attacked Riza and she tried to fight it with a crowbar but it was too strong.

A gold light began to glow around her hands.

Riza reached for Roy through the light.

"Don't touch me!" Roy said. "If you do, you won't be able to return to a normal life!"

Roy attacked the monster with a burst of fire, driving it back. "Don't try to save me unless you are willing to see it through to the end, no matter what must be sacrificed!"

"What are you talking about!" Riza said. "I am the one who covers your back, Colonel!"

She reached out, and took the gun shining with gold in the air.

She fired one round, and the monster was destroyed.

"The End is approaching," Roy said. "There will be more battles, more sacrifices. Can I trust you with my back?"

"Always." Riza said, putting the new gun away.

"We are the only ones who can do this," Roy said weakly. "I knew you could do it, Lieutenant. You never ask favors of anyone and you're always faithful to your feelings."

"I'm not faithful," Riza said. "I'm always running away."

"No," Roy said. "I know you better than you do because I've always been watching you. I just didn't want you to take the same path I took."

"Don't worry. I will follow you into hell, Colonel."


	3. Circling

Riza climbed out of the bath and put on her military uniform. "What a lovely morning. If I don't go to meet her now, I'll be late. The sea is rough today."

Roy finished up in the training room.

Ed and Kuri passed by. "That man is really mean looking." Kuri said.

"You don't know him?" said Ed. "That's—Roy Mustang. He's kinda my boss."

Riza met up with Roy.

"You're late." Riza said. "The wind is raging today."

Kuri went into the training room practiced against the training dummies.

She whirled gracefully and landed, finishing the dummy off.

"Whoa. I couldn't feel how fast I was going." Kuri said.

"Hey," Roy said.. "Thinking like that is a quality of a true martial artist."

Kuri rolled her eyes.

Ed headed to the training room. He bumped into Riza, who was standing outside.

"Oh," Ed said.. "Excuse me."

Their hands touched as they both reach to pick up her books.

Riza looked at him. "The color of your eyes is very noble. Perhaps you were a noble in a previous life."

"A...noble..." Ed said.

Roy saw the two standing outside. "Let's spar sometime, Priestess." He left.

"I'm sorry," Riza said to Ed. "That was a strange thing to say. Don't think badly of me. Goodbye." She walked away with Kagura.

_"I couldn't read her face." _Ed thought.

"So you've made another friend," Roy said to Riza.

"Jealous?" asked Riza.

Xxx

Ed and Kuri were in the park.

Two girls walked by.

"Ed?" Kuri said.

One of the girls doubled over, and a monster came out from her back. Ed gasped .

"A monster!?"

Kuri lifted her hand and drew out a large sword.

"_That's the sword from my dream,"_ Ed thought. "_Is she...the same woman?"_

Kuri brandished her Sword against the strange monster but it wasn't enough.

"Kuri be careful! The human host is still alive!" Ed said.

"Th-That's not possible!" Kuri said.

"Seisei!" Kuri splayed out her hand and purified the monster.

The girl fell to the ground, as the part attached to her faded away.

"It separated from a human!?" Ed said.

"Hurry!" Kuri said.. "Call for first aid!"

Roy and Riza watched from a distance.

_"Someone's eyes..."_ thought Kuri. _"Is the monster still...!?"_ She turned around. _"No one's there!?"_

_"The instant when that girl changed into a monster..." _Ed thought. _"I saw...both the soul...and the monster...separate. Is this a new kind of monster?"_

A faint light glowed around Roy and Riza.


	4. Ripples

Kuri was talking with Ed about the new monster and its link with the Infinity Delta.

"I think you should take a look at the Infinity District; that's where I saw those two last night." Kuri said.

"Alright. Anything else?" Ed asked.

"Could you take me to the amusement park tomorrow?" Kuri said.

"Sure." Ed said. "But you have to scout the Infinity district."

Kuri rolled her eyes. "Ugh. Well they are next to each other, in case anything happens."

Xxx

The next morning, Kuri was investigating the Delta and the Infinity School.

"So this is the Infinity School," Kuri said. "I feel an aura. The power of a strong aura is pervading it."

Kuri whirled around.

_"Again..."_ Kuri thought. _"Someone's eyes...!?"_

A figure behind a tree watched them from a distance.

Xxx

Ed was riding the roller coaster.

As he rode the roller coaster, his hat flew off into the sky.

Ed leapt off the ride and took off toward the Infinity district.

"There you are." Ed stopped as he found a girl holding the hat. "What are you doing...?"

Xxxx

Kuri entered the magnificent building. "Wow..." she said. "It is private... A school with sixty floors. I don't believe it." She stopped as music filled the air.

"Such... a beautiful tone..." Kuri said.

Allen and the little girl looked around.

"A violin?" Ed said.

They all began walking toward the sound.

_"It's outstanding..."_ Kuri thought. _"Who is it? Who's playing?"_ She peeked from behind a bush, and saw Riza standing, playing a violin. _"The tune is sweet... Like waves..."_

Riza looked up at Kuri.

The others stopped walking. "It stopped."

_"That look!?"_ Kuri thought. She whipped around and saw Roy running toward them.

"You don't know what fear is," Riza said to Kuri. "Coming to a place like this. It's dangerous. Someday your body will die."

"You shouldn't stick your neck out," said Roy. "You can return safely now, but if you interrupt us, I will not pardon you."

_"Her eyes were piercing,"_ Kurai thought of Riza. _"The pupils were dark and cold. It chilled me to the bone. Could she be... An enemy!?"_ She turned a corner. _"The backside of the building!? I have to get back to the others!"_

"Oh!" Ed said. A little girl picked up his hat. "Great. The hat I got from Kuri." He saw a high-tech building, with a sign in front written in kanji. _"Oh, can I read that?"_ He thought. _"...research labs?"_

The girl, Nina Tucker, started coughing and doubled over.

"Ed?" Kuri called. "Where did he go? I have to find him soon."

Ed touched Nina's shoulder. "Hey, are you okay?"

Nina pushed him away. "I always have these fits," she said. "It'll pass in a minute. We have to leave. This area is off-limits."

Kuri came around a corner and saw them. "Ed!? What are you doing!?" Kuri says. "Here by yourself. It's dangerous!"

"I lost the hat I got from you," said Ed. "Then Nina... looked like she was in pain. But I guess she's fine."

_"She's all in black..."_ Kuri thought.

A black mass started to appear. Snow began to fall around them.

Kuri's sword began to glow. "The Aether Sword is reacting!?" A large monster grew out and swooped down at Ed. _"A monster!?"_ Kuri thought. "Ed!?" she called. "Ed! Watch out!"

Two figures shadowed by the moonlight stood in the distance.


	5. Revelation

"Ed!" Kuri called. She attacked the monster.

The monster exploded. A white cat landed on the ground. "A cat!? The monster took hold of the cat!?"

Nina moaned. "You...!? Who are you?"

"_Damn_!" Kuri thought.

"It doesn't matter!" said Ed. "You okay? Weren't you hurt?"

Nina's eyes shone white. "You are the one who is hurt," she said.

"What?" Ed said. He looked at his arm and saw blood. "Oh, you're right."

The girl held Ed's arm.

Kuri whirled around. "Who's there!? Is the enemy still..."

A shadowed figure run off into the moonlight.

"Kuri!" Ed called. "Look, my injury..."

_"It's gone!?"_ Kuri thought. _"That girl..."_

"When you get home, you should disinfect it," Nina said. She tied a handkerchief around Ed's arm. "It's eerie. Since I was small... I've had this strange power."

"Ed!" Kuri called.

"You should leave this place at once," Nina said.. "If the guards find you, you'll be in trouble."

"Thanks," Ed said.

Xxx

"Be careful," Kuri said. She walked off. "We don't know what form the enemy could be taking!"

"Sorry... But I thought I could be friends with that girl. I liked Nina. That pure-white skin... She was pretty." Ed said.

_"That kid..." _Kuri thought. _"She had the power to heal Ed's injury...is she an enemy?"_

Kuri and Ed were together now working and learned that the owner of the Infinity Distract and Moeto Research Labs is Shou Tucker—Nina's father.

Later that night, the shadow of Chaos was sitting gazing into a pool of water at a castle and calling for the Three Talismans. At her anxious calls, Ed's eyes open because he can sense the evil calls.

Ed sits up in bed. _"Again. That dream... Someone is calling... for someone else to awaken... Saying for us to come? Or else... Recalling the ruin. Trying to get us?"_

Xxx

"What is it?" Roy said.

Riza stared at her mirror. "I was thinking of fortunetelling, and it was interrupted. The mirror got cloudy. But then it cleared up."

Roy put her arms around her. "Riza... What we're doing. It might be useless. Whatever we do, it could already be too late."

"We knew that when we started, Roy. The wheels of fate have spun. The Sacrifice will come soon."

Xxx

Kuri walks down the street, reading a book on the Infinity District. "Shou Tucker..."

Roy watches her. "Are you investigating the Infinity School?" she asks. "The owner, Shou Tucker, is very famous. Of course, he was expelled from the military..."

"Expelled?"

"There's part of the Infinity School, called the magician training school. Do you know of it? I wonder if it's because very versatile people attend it. Or else..."

A girl approaches them. "Excuse me..." she says. "Are you the Flame Alchemist, Roy-san?"

"Yeah."

"Wow! I'm a fan! Please sign this for me!"

Roy takes the girl's signature board.

"The Flame Alchemist..." Kuri says. "Then, are you one of the versatile magicians too?"

"That's right," says Roy. "I'm having a concert soon. I'll give you some tickets."

Ed sees the two from a distance. _"That's... Kuri?"_ she thinks. _"Why are they... together? She's one of the people we're watching. What are they talking about? Kuri?"_ She envisions the face of the shadowed people. _"That person..."_

Ed enters the Crown Game Center. He screams as someone yanked on his hair.

"Hey there!" Riza says. "We meet again. Do you come here often?"

Ed envisions the face of the soldier. _"Riza... she looks like... that masked soldier from before."_

"Hey," he says. "Are you... a soldier?"

Riza eyes widen. "What?" he says. "What's that? A soldier?"

"I like the sound of that," Riza says. "A soldier. Fighting. Do you and your friends all fight together?"

"Fight together!?" Ed says.

"Don't go near Ed!" voices call.

Riza turns and saw Kuri. "Hmph..."


	6. New Soldiers

Later the Ed and Kuri were fighting an monster.

As the dancer charged at Kuri and Ed; Ed attacked.

The monster vanished in a flash of light. "She disappeared!?"

"She said she belonged to a group called "Busters'" Kuri said.

"The Busters!? Are they the enemies!?" Ed said.

"That! Look...!" Kuri whirled.

"Is the enemy still here!?" Ed asked.

They turn and saw Roy running away into the woods.

"Wait!" Ed called. He ran after her.

"Ed!" called Kuri.

Xxx

Ed ran through the forest. "She's so fast! Like the wind. I can't catch up!" He stopped as he reached a clearing. "I lost her!? Oh no!"

"I figured you wouldn't catch me," Roy said, sitting in a tree.

Ed looked up at her. "You're..."

Roy jumped down. "Don't disturb us. Fighting together would be dangerous."

A bright light flashed.

"Ed!" Kuri called. She ran up, and saw Ed sitting alone on the ground.

_"That person..."_ Ed thought. _"It can't be... she's a member of the Zodiac!?"_

_Xxx_

"What do you mean, she was a member of the Zodiac!?" Kuri asked. "Anything else!?"

"She said... not to disturb them..." Ed said.

"Her face?" Kuri asked. "Did you see it?"

"It was dark," said Ed. "I couldn't see it well."

"I don't believe it." Kuri said. "Riza knows about her! You saw!"

"We still don't know they actually are working together," said Ed. "We should catch them, and reveal their true intentions."

Xxx

Ed looked at a magazine as he lies in bed. "Roy...he looked like..."

Ed drifted off to sleep.

xxx

"Hey Ed," Riza said.

"Huh?" said Ed.

"Who are you?" Ed asked. "The soldier from before...!?"

Riza jumped away.

"Wait! Why do you always run!? Tell me why!" Ed asked

"The time has not yet come," Riza said. "Our mission is to get..."

"What?" Ed said.

"The talismans..." Riza said.

Xxx

The voice of the woman echoed in the minds of the exorcists

_"Unless we gather the three talismans, for the god of ruin..."_

They all woke up suddenly.

_"That dream...!"_ Ed thought.

_"The talismans!?"_ Kuri and Ed thought.

_"An ominous dream..."_ thought Kuri. _"I feel a sense of foreboding... They must not gather the talismans!"_

_Xxx_

"Morning, Kuri," Ed said. "You're late."

Kuri looked down. "M- Morning," she said. _"I can't even show him my face..." _she thought. She looked at posters on the wall. _"Riza!? She's an amazing violinist. Ed... Is he concerned about Roy?"_

Kuri walked down the street after school. "I just want to relax." As she approaches the tea shop, she saw Roy. "Oh!"

"Since your friends told me not to go near you," he said, "I no longer intend to come here. But, I wanted to see you."

_"Why is my heart beating so hard?"_ Kuri thought. _"It's because of that dream I had. It's weird. This person..." _

"Would you like to go hear Riza play?" He held out some tickets.

_"I want to know..."_ Kuri thought. _"About these people. Is that what Ed was thinking? I want to know about this person."_

"Kuri?" Roy said. "That's cute."

A strong wind blowed.

"Roy!?" Kuri said. Roy was gone. "Roy..."

Ed watched her from around a corner.

Xxx

"'The Infinity Commemorative Dome has finally been completed in the Infinity,'" Ed read from the newspaper. "'It's the largest hall in the world. A hotel is also scheduled to be built in the area. It will be constructed soon in the center of the Infinity zone reclaimed from the upper city.'"

Kuri entered and greeted everyone who were discussing a concert.

"What's wrong, Al?" Kuri asked.

"Kuri!" said Al. "The Hime Yukia concert is the formal opening of the Infinity Commemorative Dome."

"Hime Al?"

"She's got lots of commercials and TV spots. I...wanted to go to the concert..."

"Jeez, don't be so star crazy," said Ed. "You really like celebrities, Al."

"What!" Al said. "If we sneak into the concert, we can do scouting too. We'll kill two birds with one stone."

Kuri quietly entered the game center.

"Look at the other poster," Kuri said. "It seems the violinist Riza is having a concert too. It's also at the Infinity Commemorative Dome."

"Why don't we go..." Kuri said.

"Huh!?" Al said.. "To Hime Yukia's concert!?"

"To Riza's concert," said Kuri.

"You have tickets?"

"Yeah, someone gave them to me. I have one for everyone."

Ed looked over at her.

"I like her violin," said Al. "I wonder if it'll be all right,"

"We can all see what's going on there," said Kuri.

Ed looked down at the concert tickets in his hand.

_"I'll give you two, so you can take someone," Roy had said._

_Xxx_

Queen Bandiane stared at the image of Ed in the pool of water. "He finishes my monsters so easily. He's strong. The fierce power of his innocence... I want it. But the fortune of the reflecting pool before me... The three talismans that will lead to our ruin... If I can uncover their true forms... Then I can obtain and destroy them."

The image of a woman appears in the pool. "Queen Bandiane," the woman said.

"You had better not fail like the others."

"I am Yukia, the Snow Princess. With my hypnotic music, the humans will freeze into submission.

The poster for Riza's concert appeared.

"What's this?" Bandiane asked.

"So we can gather more sacrifices for you, my Queen," Yukia said. "Using this world-famous violinist, we can lure people to the Crystal Points. And then soon, we will be ready to plunge this world!"

"Perhaps. But don't act too hastily, or you will make mistakes. No matter what, we must nurture this planet so that I may survive here. I will not forgive the Avatar! The soldiers will certainly come to stop us again. And when they do, eliminate them."

Xxx

_"I wonder how Nina's doing." _Kuri wondered.

Kuri rummaged through drawers at home. "I borrowed that handkerchief. I washed it, but she couldn't get the blood stain out..."

Kuri walked by the Crystal Point, carrying a new handkerchief. "I think it was in back of the park..." he said. She approached Nina's Mansion. The entrance gate was locked. "A gate... Maybe nobody's in there. I guess Nina isn't back yet. Oh! Nina!"

Nina looked up at her.

"Hey, I came to return your handkerchief. Thanks for before. I couldn't get the blood out of the handkerchief, so this is a new one."

"You came all the way here... just for that?" Nina said. _"Mother will still be at the Main House now..." _she thought. "Come with me," she said.

They entered Nina's place. Kuri looked around. "There's lamps everywhere," she said. "Your room's romantic."

"I like dark places," Nina said.

"Do you like your clothes dark too?" Kuri asked. "You just changed into black tights."

"From an accident long ago, I have many wounds..." Nina said.

"Hey, Nina," Kuri said. "Your home is a research lab, right? What are you researching?"

"It's 11 o'clock already," said Shou Tucker, coming in. "Hurry and finish up."

_"What?" _Kuri thought. _"That time already!?"_

Tucker looked at her. "You have your friend over again." As she walked away, she tripped over a book on the ground.

"Look out!" Nina said. A pain struck her, and they both fell to the floor.

"Nina!?" said Tucker. "What's wrong!?"

"Nothing... Just a little dizziness..."

"Have you been taking care of yourself? That's why it was impossible for you to finish your research on the comet. You always have been a worthless child."

"My duty was to go look at it too."

"I don't know of that duty," said Tucker. "No one's looking after me either." Tucker turned on the television.

"You have all the chances you want Daddy." Nina said.

"Of course! I'm serious about it. Just because I was dropped once, I won't give up. I'm not like you. I don't forget my dreams!" Tucker turned sharply and left.

"Mother!"

Kuri looked up. _"What should I do?"_ he thought.

A pain struck Nina and she dropped to her knees.

Nina dropped to the ground, coughing.

"Nina!?"

"It's okay, Kuri," he said. "My medicine..."

She looked at the coffee table, which was covered with packages of medicine. _"So much medicine...!"_ she thought. She took a few to Nina. "Nina!?"

She took one. "Thanks, Kuri."

_"What kind of medicine is it,"_ Kuri thought. _"Oh, if Al and Ed here, they could tell what the proper measures are."_

Nina coughed, clutching a Crystal to her chest. "You should go now... Don't come near me..."

"Nina? Are you okay?"

"Nina," Kuri said. "Close your eyes. This time I'll help you."

She held her hands to Nina's chest.

"The pain is gone..." Nina said. "It's warm... Like I'm being filled with power..." She opened her eyes. "Is that your power?"

"Yeah," Kuri said. "This is my precious power. But not just for me, it can protect you too."

"Kuri, I've made mistakes." Nina admitted. "The monster that attacked your friends... I think it was probably an experimental creature escaped from my father's research lab. My father's eccentric. He's doing gruesome research. But please don't tell anyone. He's not evil. He came to save me from that accident long ago."

"I won't say anything, I promise," Kuri said. "It's our secret."

She watched as Nina lay down on the couch and fell asleep. He saw a picture on the wall. _"That's pretty_," she thought. "_The moment the sun rises."_

Nina opened her eyes. "Kuri? You stayed with me until I woke up?"

"I'm your friend." Kuri said.. "I'm on your side."

They looked out the window.

"The snow has stopped," Nina said.. "It's already dawn. Look at that, a beautiful Earth morning. Kuri, the view of dawn from the sky is amazing. Much more than this. It's beautiful. I want to show it to you, too, Kuri. It would be nice if we could see it together." Nina yawned. "We are friends. When I'm with you, I feel at ease. It seems like you understand everything."

She got into bed and closed her eyes.

"Goodnight. My friend." Nina said.

Xxx

"Ed," Roy said.

"Yes!" she said.

"Huh!?" said Kuri. "Roy!? Ed!?"

"Hey!" Roy said. "You're all here too!"

"Roy...!" Al said.

"Hey."

"You didn't tell me you were coming to the concert with Roy." Kuri said.

"Roy invited me... I would have asked you, Kuri, but you said you had tickets." Ed said.

Kuri grimaced. _"'Roy!"_ she thought.

"What's the matter with you?" asked Ed.

"Never mind!"

"It's starting," said Al.

They took their seats as Kis played her violin on-stage.

_"Whirling currents..."_ Kuri thought. _"Washing away my troubles... It's like I'm actually near the sea."_

"Her performance is breathtaking."

"I hear her violin is a five hundred million yen Stradivari named after the temple of the sea, the Marine Cathedral."

"Roy..." Kuri thought. "She's standing over in the corner..."

Xxx

Al peeked around a corner at the Hime Yukia concert. "I followed Kuri so I could get over here, but now I have to get inside."

She was dressed in Infinity clothes.

"Thank you!" Al called from the stage. "Today I'm singing for everyone at my favorite school! I'm so happy! I love Infinity, and all of you. I'll do anything for the school. I will even sacrifice my body. Will you?"

The crowd cheered.

"Then close your eyes, and relax. Listen quietly to the music I've made for you."

_"What!?"_ Al thought. _"I'm suddenly sleepy. My body won't move..."_

"Devote your mind, body, and soul to me, and our master Queen Bandiane."

Al struggled to move. "Hime Yukia... is an enemy!"

A man ran up to him. "Where are you going!?"

"Err... To the bathroom..."

"You're not supposed to leave your seat during the concert!"

Al kicked him away. He ran into the concert hall. "Your lovely image and melodious voice are the embodiment of an ugly evil! Everyone! Don't be fooled!"

Riza and Roy's heads jerked up. The curtain was lowered before the stage. "What!? What's happening!? Is it over already?"

"Roy left!" said Kuri. "She looked odd."

Al ran in.

"Kuri!"

"Al!?"

"The idol Hime Yukia is an enemy! Come here!"

"Everyone!" Al called. "Wake up! If I act now, there should still be time!" As the people in the crowd came to their senses, Al switched off the lights. "Get out of here! Hurry!" Al and Yukia battled.

"Damn!" Yukia said. "Queen Bandiane! Send me power with the help of an monster!"

"Miserable wretch..." Queen Bandiane muttered. "The valuable eggs have been planted in the vessels. Hmph. Regrettable, but I will call on the failed spirits. Awaken! monster Power! My Snow monster!" Three students collapsed as monsters erupted from them.

"Devour them, Snow monster!" Yukia called.

Ed and Al defeated two. The remaining one charged at Kuri

The snow monster loomed over her. Wind hit it. The snow monster exploded.

"Damnit!" Yukia said.

There was a second blast of wind.

Yukia vanished in a flash of light.

Everyone turned to look at the two girls.

"Who are you!?" Ed said.

"I am the Flame Alchemist," said Roy.

"And I am the Sniper," said Riza.


	7. Fullmetal Heart

"Riza!? Roy!?"

"No way!" Kuri says. "Zodiac!? I didn't know."

"There was no reason for you to know," says Riza

_"I can't get any sense from those two...!_" Al thinks.

Ed looks at the mirror Roy is holding. "This is called a talisman." "That hand mirror!" he says. "A talisman!"

_"Talisman!?"_ the others think.

"We meet again, Ed," says Roy.

_"The Colonel!"_ he thinks.

"The hand mirror is a talisman!?" Kuri says. "In my ominous dream, someone said to gather the talismans. So you... Who on earth are you!?"

"A dream?" Riza says. "So, you sense it too. The dreadful premonition. The crisis of ruin."

"If you know something, tell us!" Kuri says. "What's going to happen from now on!?"

"Make no mistake. We have no intention of fighting together with you." Riza said.

"Then you're not... allies?" Ed asks.

"I don't remember saying we were allies." Riza said.

"Wait!" Al says. "Are you chasing after the Death Busters too!? What do they want!?"

"We've never spoken," Roy says. She begins to play her violin.

"_The Colonel!?_" Ed thinks. Music fills the air.

"My head is splitting..." Al says.

_"These two soldiers carry talismans..."_ thinks Al. _"Oh no...! Could these two bring about our ruin!?"_

"Wait!" Ed calls. "Are you going to lead us to ruin!? Answer me!"

They were all knocked to the ground by Firebending.

_"The sailor soldiers..."_ Kuri thinks. _"Attacked us...!?"_

_Xxx_

"I don't know if I should talk about them," Ed says. "Originally, those alchemists weren't supposed to be here. Like us, they have a different duty and jurisdiction. They're supposed to be far away. We weren't supposed to run into them."

_"More alchemist besides us...!?"_ Kuri thinks.

"They're said to defend the other Alchemist from a distance. They are spirits of legend, veiled in mystery. But it seems that they really exist. I don't believe it. They've been reincarnated, and they've appeared. There must be some state of emergency..."

"State of emergency..." Al says. "The invasion? Or is it something else...!?"

"If that's true... Why did they attack us?"

"They aren't enemies!" Kuri says. "They're allies!"

"You have no reason to say that," says Al. "They attacked us. Just like enemies do."

"That's some greeting," says Al.

"For whatever reason," Al says, "they made it clear they're not allies. If they come to attack us again, we'll have to fight them."

Ed lies in bed. Kuri was asleep next to him. He holds Kuri's hand. "_What do those two want!?" h_e thinks. He sees a ruined city around him. A wave of water looms overhead.

"A tidal wave!? What happened here!?" A shadowed figure stands atop a devastated pillar. "Who are you?" Ed says. "Are you the god of ruin?"

Ed and Kuri open their eyes. "A dream!?"

"Ed..." Kuri says. "Did we just have the same dream!?"

"That dream..." Ed says. "The god of ruin..."

Xxx

Al sits in meditation. "The mirror Roy carries is a talisman...!" she thinks. "The three talismans that will cause the ruin. Then where are the other two?"

Xxx

Kuri sits in the park. "Ed's late," she says. "Looks like rain. Bad weather. Since then I haven't seen them. Roy and Riza..." Two hands cover her eyes. She turns around. "Ed?" She sees Riza behind her.

"I was taking a detour from my route home," she says. "You drew me here." She turns and runs away in a gust of wind.

"Wait!" Kuri calls. "Riza!" He stops. "Are you our ally? Another spirit like the Avatar? Why won't you tell us anything?"

"I wanted to meet you while you knew nothing," Riza says. "Kuri..."

"Riza-san..."

She holds her face.

"Kuri!" Ed says.

"Fullmetal appears," says Riza. He ran away..

"Kuri," Ed says. He holds her. "What's happened? Did he do anything to you?" (he's jealous and protective)

"No... It's not that. It's not that..." She rests her head on Ed's chest, her eyes watering. _"Why am I crying..."_ she thinks. _"It's hard..."_

Ed hugs her.

Xxx

Al has to make something out of clay, something important, and give it to someone she cares for. She shows the others what she is doing, and they ask if it's a coffee cup.

"No!" Al says. "It's the chalice."

"chalice? What's that?" Kuri said.

"That's the name of a legendary object that is supposed to be the secret to the Zodiac's reincarnation," Al says. "When a crisis calls for it, wondrous power flows from the chalice. It gives power to the Spirit World, and saves the people."

"I only asked Al a little," says Kuri. "We'll get Ed to help us."

Xxx

"Want some coffee?" Ed asks.

"Sure," says Kuri.

They drink their coffee in silence.

"I wonder what Ed's thinking about," Kuri thinks. "Is he mad about me and Riza being together...? But I couldn't help it. Riza as the enemy again..."

"Ed!" she says. "Umm. I..."

"Hey!" Al calls as she bursts into the room. "I was going to meet you at the door, but you're already here!"

Kuri and Ed are silent.

"Have you been fighting?" Al asks.

"N- No!" Kuri says.

"Ed looks angry, Kuri.", Al remarks.

"Huh?"

"What did you do, cheat on him?"

_"Cheat on him..."_ Kuri thinks. _"Is that what he's thinking? That I cheated on him..."_

"Al," Ed says. "What did you come here for?"

"Well, I wanted you to help me with my project."

Al pulls on Kuri. "Don't go. You need to help me too. 'Kay?" She unwraps her cup-shaped piece of clay on the table.

"What are you trying to make with the clay!?"

"The holy chalice."

"Holy chalice?" Ed says. "The monks told me about that. How are you going to make that, from this..."

"We'll need lots of supplies! Go to the store, Kuri."

Kuri leaves the store grumbling. "So why did it have to be me...?"

She enters Ed's apartment. "I'm back! I brought some ice cream too."

She smiles as she sees Ed working with Al on the clay.

"Wow! Al! Look, look! It's great!"

"Yep, we finally finished it," says Ed.

"Al..."

They see her asleep on the floor. They smile.

Kuri puts her arms around Ed. "Ed... I'm sorry. For being like that with Riza..."

"I believe you, Kuri."

"When you were together with Kuri, I got really jealous. It was stupid."

"I was full of jealousy too," Ed says. "Jealous of that guy. But I'm sure there was a reason for it. He always looks at you in that way. I think those two have hard circumstances."

"Yeah," says Kuri. "Yeah, I guess, Ed."

"Riza's painful sorrow spread..." she thinks. "I'm crying for no reason."

Ed holds her. "We don't need to wake Al up. If you want to stay here, that's okay." He holds her and kisses her.

Al peeks out from under her blanket. "Looks like they've made up." She had been pretending to be asleep so as to give Ed and Kuri a chance to talk and clear things up.

Xxx

Al and Kuri are talking. It's been raining a lot that spring and it is depressing Kuri. Midterm scholarship tests are coming up and Kuri moaned that THEY are what is depressing. Kuri, though, has received excellent marks again, first place! She urges Kuri to join her to go to the Mugen Academy and prepare for the exams. There is a ranking book Al shows them and it says that one person is above Kuri, a woman named Bidou Yui. Kuri says she shall go visit the girl.

When she goes to visit the school, Bidou Yui is condescending but urges Kuri to join. When she returns to her friends, Al warns her that it might be an enemy trap. Kuri insists she won't be caught that easily and assures Al that if anything happens, she will contact her. Kuri leaves to return to the Mugen Academy.

_"Bad rain clouds..."_ Kuri thinks. _"Like they're coming out from this building."_ She enters the Infinity building.

"You're the visiting student, Kuri, right? Junior high is on the 13th floor. Please go to the 9th grade science class."

Kuri goes into the science room, where Yui is waiting. She stands next to a glass case with a black swirl of matter inside.

"You're here," Yui says. "Kuri."

"What's that?"

"Isn't it pretty? This is a miniature replica of the cosmos. I made it for a science experiment. It's the Black Dream Hole. Hikawa-san?"

_"I feel like I'm being sucked in..."_ Kuri thinks.

Kuri looks at the case. "I wonder if that's a hologram," she thinks. "This black hole... I've never heard of it." Yui leaves to go do something while a camera mounted on the ceiling focuses on Kata.

Queen Bandiane looks at the image of Kuri in the pool of water. "I feel extraordinary power coming from the surface of the water," she says. "That power... Could it be... A carrier of a spirit's protection? Another spirit!? She came by herself."

"Queen. I am the leader of the science class, Bidou Yui. Leave it to me, Water Warrior. It was clear from the beginning that the Snow Princess and the Fire Dancer would fail. By my system, the Water Warrior, I will obtain the souls of the Alchemists. The master will certainly be pleased."

"The souls of the Spirit World..." says Queen Bandiane. "It must have such strong energy." She gasps as the image in the pool vanishes.

The camera lens is shattered as Kuri throws a pen into it. She runs out into the hallway. A sign by a stairway reads, "Underground Laboratory. No entry." Kuri rushes down the stairs.

"Riza!" Roy calls, as she sees Kuri running.

Kuri opens the door that reads, "No entry." Eyes shine in cages all around the room. "An animal research lab!?" she says. "Another door!?" She reads the sign on the second door. "Danger!?" She looks through the window on the door. "I don't believe it! Those are... the monsters that attacked us!? Then this must be the enemies'..."

A hand grabs her shoulder. "Going to class, Kuri-san?" Yui asks.

"Oh no!"

Other students surround her. "In this class, I will take your soul. We'll start the utilization."

"What!?" Kuri thinks. "What's she talking about!?"

"We're also interested in that utilization," Riza says.

"Riza!? Roy!?"

"Seize them!" Yui says to the students. "Take all three of them to my class!" They're dragged upstairs to the science classroom. "The operation has just begun!" Yui says. "The nanorobots in my program will go forth from human bodies into their souls. Through my system, I will sacrifice the souls to our master Queen Bandiane! I will sacrifice the empty bodies as vessels to our compatriots! It will be glorious!"

Kuri knocks the students around her away.

"You fool!" Yui says. "This is the 13th floor!"

Kuri jumped and lands in the swimming pool outside.

Riza and Roy jump out after her.

"Don't let them escape!" Yui says. "Go after them!"

"What's the big commotion!?" Queen Bandiane says. "Don't let the valuable vessels escape!" she says. "The spirits are together! Get them!"

Riza and Roy hide in a tree.

"We can't stay in the Mugenzu anymore," Riza says.

"You're right," says Roy.

Yui jumps to the ground. "Where are they!? Find them!"

"You're doing needless things!" Kuri says.

"A priestess is no match for a water warrior!" Yui snapped and the two began to fight.

Kuri gasps. "My body's..."

"Heh heh. Does it hurt? The nanomachines extracted from my program cut into your body and dissolve it! All that will be left is the soul of your beautiful spirit!"

_"My body won't move...!"_ Kuri thinks_. "No..."_

"Now, to our master!" Yui says. "Sacrifice the strong, beautiful spirit!"

"Kuri!" Ed calls. Al and Al followed.

Ed stops as he sees two figures before her. "Riza!? Roy!?"

Riza lifted her sword. "My talisman!"

He used it to defeat Yui.

Kuri falls to the ground.

"Kuri!" Ed ran over.

"Riza's sword!?" Kuri thinks. "Is that... the second talisman!?"

Riza and Roy ran away in a blaze of heat.

"Wait!" Kuri calls. "Riza! Roy! They came to save us...?"


	8. Hoshi

As this battle ends, Al stops by to meet Ed. It is here that they meet a woman with pale skin and long pale hair. She introduces herself as a freshman in science, who studies basic physics, with a major in theoretical physics. She is Olivier. Al comments on how the room is filled with plants and that Kuri should love it here. As they leave Olivier, they comment:

"So, isn't she pretty?" says Al.

"Yeah, really," says Ed. "She carries herself with the grace of an adult. She's intellectual and beautiful. Er, um... So what kind of research is she helping with?"

"I think that professor studies anti-gravity in China. She said that there's something strange about the space in the Delta area. They're investigating the surroundings very deeply."

" Look, there's all those weird black clouds... It's a little scary. Those are definitely rain clouds. This place has strange weather. The rainy season hasn't ended at all." Ed says.

xxx

On the other side of town:

A dog in a glass chamber transforms into a large monster in a flash of light.

"It mutated into a failed spirit again," Shou Tucker said.

They go to the fountain in the pool of water outside the old stone castle. They kneel before it. The statue glows. "Ohh..." Queen Bandiane says. "I am waiting for the light of the source of life, the Crystal Points. Gather more and more souls of the humans. We still do not have enough."

"I apologize, Queen Bandiane," says Tucker. "We will surely bring many souls here."

"There is only one method to take action in this world now," Queen Bandiane says. "I take it you are progressing with the utilization."

"We are attempting the utilization by planting eggs in the human bodies that souls have been taken from," says Tucker. "The outsiders are interrupting us. In the experiments, 90 percent become atavistic. The time to make them complete like us is not yet... Then the complete ones will bring the ruin of the outsiders, the sailor soldiers."

"Take care of the outsider soldiers at once!" Queen Bandiane says. "Eliminate them! I will recover all my power. We must be patient until the utilization is performed. This land will be our second mother planet. Nothing must stop us!"

"Certainly!" says Tucker. "The carriers of the lights of the innocence's protection, the exorcists! I will eliminate them at once!"

"Roy and Riza..." says Queen Bandiane. "They destroyed the spirits in an instant. What is that strong brightness called? Is that their soul!? The souls of the normal humans are no match for it. That power... It's brilliance is like that of our source of life, the Crystal Points. But, the ominous light that will guide us to ruin could be near it. In the light of the planets' protection... The time of awakening is near."

"The light that will guide us to ruin..." thinks Tucker. "Could that be the three talismans, in the light of the planets' protection!?"

"Take Kuri's brilliance, the infinite power, immediately!" says Queen Bandiane. "For our revival! Eliminate our impending ruin! By our hand, the soldiers and the humans of this world will be led to ruin!"

Tucker leave.

"Since the outsiders have appeared," says Tucker, "the master has seemed cheerful."

Xxx

Queen Bandiane goes to the pool of water. "So selfish, knowing nothing of the trouble I go to..." she thinks. "Now I'm supposed to find the secret of the sailor soldiers' power, and the true form of the guiding talismans. The soldiers... Troublesome fools..."

A woman appears behind her. "Queen Bandiane," she says. "We must obtain lots of souls."

"I am the instructor of the phys. ed. class at the school," the woman says. "I am also in charge of the botanical garden. I can't stand leaving things half done like Viluy did. I am Terra, level 404, and I will obtain the highest quality souls. At the master's request, the souls of the sailor soldiers. Then I will bring the power for the Crystal Points!"

Xxx

Two girls walk between classes at the Labs. They see Kuri. "That's the student, Nina," says one girl. "She's carrying her bag. Is she leaving early again?"

"Is she weak-bodied?" says the other. "She's been wearing those long tights all year."

"She's such a dark person. She always has a vacant face. It's well-known that she's a bit strange."

"Naturally. Her father's a mad scientist. Doesn't she have any friends?"

Nina drops to the ground coughing. She reaches for a pen case. One of the girls steps on it.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Nina. You worn out? Need some help?"

Nina picks up the case.

"Nina?"

Nina glares at them. She crushes the case in her hand. The girls gasp. "Wh-What!? She crushed the pen case!?" Nina walks away. "She looked at us so angrily... Like she was another person!?"

Xxx

Kuri stares out the window. Rain pours outside.

Ed slaps her on the back. "What's the matter, Kuri? You look like you're lovesick."

"That's not it.. I want to meet Roy and Riza. Let's look for where they live! I want to see them, and talk to them. They're the same exorcists, but why do they keep fighting us? It can't continue! I want to go ask them!"

The school bell rings.

"Let's go," says Ed. "We have work to do."

"You two..." Kuri says. "You're so cold!"

"What's wrong Kuri?"

"We should do what we can right away," says Al.

Xxx

We follow AL home and learn that Sasanquas are his favorite flowers. He tells his friend that she has lots of plants in her house but that lately they haven't healthy. She blames it on the strange weather, how it's suddenly hot then cold.

Her friend tells her of a new plant that grow and soak in water from the atmosphere. The infinity school sells them...aL thinks about the plant...it is called Tellurian.

Later at the command center, Al, Ed and Kuri are discussing how the enemies are from the Infinity School and that they must prevent them from spreading out into the city, seeping in undetected. Allen and Kuri discuss the Delta Area which seems to have abnormal energy coming from it, in particular the Infinity zone.

Al studies up on Shou, Nina's father.

"Specialty is genetic engineering," Al reads. "Owner of the Infinity School. Resides at the Tucker Research Labs. Hey, he has a daughter, Nina. He... saved Nina before. That kid is Nina?"

They leave the command center. They pass a flower shop.

"Hey, wait," says Al. "This is it. The plants that grow without water, tellurians. Are they being sold from the Infinity School?" "Oh, we're selling lots of those now," says the clerk. "They're easy. You don't have to give them any water at all. In a week, they'll turn into a beautiful pink, and smell great." Yuki buys one of them "I'm a little worried," says Yuki. "I've never seen this kind of plant before."

Xxx

"This medicine is digitalis," said. "It's a diuretic that increases the flow of blood. This is verapamil. It's heart medicine. I wonder if she has a heart disease." Ed says.

_"A heart disease..." th_ought Kuri_. "Her heart is ill!? Nina._.."

Xxx

Kuri approached Nina's front door.

"What business do you have here?" asks Shou. "Trespasser."

"She's my guest, Mama!" Nina said.

"Nina!" says Kuri.

Shou walks away. "Odd," he thinks. "She has a guest."

"What is it?" Nina says. "What have you come to see me together for?"

"Hey!" says Kuri. "I thought I'd check on you."

"I feel like I'm being drawn in," thinks Nina. "To her deep blue eyes... Like they know everything..."

Nina drops to her knees, coughing.

"Nina!?" Kuri says.

"I'm having more fits," Nina thinks. "Someone's voice is calling inside my head... Today I fainted like this at school. My memory after that..."

Nina reaches out for Kuri's chest. "Ahh... When I touch you Kuri, I start to feel better. It fills me with power."

"Really? Nina-chan?"

Nina covers her mouth. "What!?" she thinks. "That-!? Now I wanted to take his power for myself... Why!? Now... It was like somebody inside me... was talking..."

Shou stands behind the door to the room. "Kuri is here?"

Kuri looks out the window.

"What are you looking for?" Shou asks.

"Oh! I-! Err-! Ho- Ho- Nina's room. I got lost looking for it."

"Ah, you're Nina's friend." He takes Kuri to her room. "Nina."

"Papa!"

"It's time for your checkup."

"Oh, well then I'll be leaving," says Kuri.

"Bye-bye!" Nina says. "See you later!"

"That's Professor Tucker," thinks Kuri. "His hands were hard, and cold as ice. Not like human hands..."

As he walked home, Kuri saw a woman with pale skin and long pale hair in the crowd. "That's...!"

"She's gone! It couldn't be... It couldn't be... She was walking right here..."

Xxx

"Hey, it's snowing again. It'll be cold tonight too. Definitely." Al said.

A spirit floated outside. "Heh heh... That's right. Being alone is bad."

"Why don't we all throw a Christmas party?" said Al. "It'll be fun."

"Really!?" said Ed. "Hey! Every year for Christmas we pick a star!"

"A star?" The four chorused.

"Right. Then at the party, everyone gives the star what they most want as a present." Ed said.

Xxx

"Ed," said Trisha. "This year, the Christmas star is you. Now, open your eyes. Here's your present from everyone."

Ed saw a small item—a little ball—in a basket.

"Wow!" Ed said.. "How did you know what I wanted? Mother, thank you!"

Xxx

"That was fun," Ed said. "Everyone did it at the Christmas party. I wonder who the star should be this year. Mother..."

Xxx

Kuri enters Al's apartment. "Wow! Al, it's been such a long time. Everything's green again."

"But they're not doing very well, since it's raining so much. It's on the card. 'Tellurian.' Plant breeding by Teruno Ruru, Infinity School." Al yawns. "I'm so sleepy..."

"Yeah, I'm so tired..." They drift off to sleep.

"Al!" Kuri calls.

"Huh...?" Al sits up. "I feel weak..."

"Al! Look at this!"

"What!? The tellurian has already bloomed!? No way!"

"Al! The plants over there!"

"They've all withered!?"

Al takes a butcher knife and cuts through the tellurian. Gases fill the air.

Xxx

Kuri looks at the map on the wall. "Hmph. The Delta. Three pieces of land are linked together."

"Kuri!?" AL calls.

"AL! Everyone! What's wrong? Where are you going?"

"The Infinity School botanical garden! The enemies!"

Kuri sees Roy and Riza walking. "Roy! Riza!?" They look back, then run off. "Wait!"

"Why did they run away?" Kuri thinks. "Roy! Don't you want to meet us!?"

Xxx

They walk to the condominium tower. "The tallest building in the Order. They live so close, in Minato Ward." Kuri goes to Roy's room. "Roy?" she says. "You're like us, but why can't you fight together with us?"

Roy leans against the door inside, listening.

"Why won't you tell us anything?"

"Now what we must do," Kuri says, "is hold off the spread of the enemies' influence. Right?"

"The Infinity Delta," says Ed. "The winds are always strong here. When I come here, my body burns."

"Something is unusual," says Al. "Ghastly. It's much stronger than before."

They enter the Infinity botanical garden.

"It's just like a jungle," says Ed.

"Look!" says Al.

"The people are collapsing! There's pink flowers all over. This sweet scent of poison... The tellurians!?"

"I'm losing strength!"

"Heh heh heh... The highest quality life energy."

"You!?" Ed says.

"Carriers of the spirits," Tellu says. "themselves. How lucky that you've come here. Heh heh. The tellurians are the alter self of me, Tellu. I soak up life energy with my beautifully crafted flowers. The mass of humans' life energy, their souls, absorbed. If I offer the flowers, the master will be pleased, and I will be granted the holy power, like Professor Tucker!"

Olivier lies on the floor. A tellurian is nearby, soaking her energy.

Roy's head jerks up. Riza looks around from her apartment. "Somebody's in pain..."

"Who?" they think. "Someone very close to us... Our ally!?"

"It hurts..." Olivier thinks. "My strength is fading rapidly... Somebody... Save me... Am I going to die here!? No. I can't die yet. I was born here. The meaning... I was reborn. Meaning...Awaken!"

Roy and Riza appear in the room with Olivier. "The time has come!"

Leaves blow in the wind around Kuri. "What!? This-!? Now, something, somewhere, has awakened!?"

"Everyone!" Ed calls. "We have to fight."

"You've shown your true selves!" Tellu says. "Those who protect the Priestess. I am Tellu, and I will take your souls, and the power for the Crystal points! I will tear your bodies into pieces and use them as fertilizer!"

She used her power against them.

Al defeated with his power

Tellu falls back.

Ed fought back with his power.

"Heh heh!" Tellu says. "That's the highest quality power! Why such a pathetic attack?"

"What!?" Kuri thinks. "I can't hesitate. Bring out all my power. I must defeat the enemy before me. But... Roy, Riza!"

Olivier appeared and fought and Tellu is enveloped in light, and is torn apart.

The soldiers, Kuri, and Ed gasp.

"That low voice..." Kuri thinks. "That attack..."

They turn and see Olivier holding a spear, standing

with Roy and Riza.


	9. Into the Snow

"Olivier!" Kuri calls. She runs to her and wraps her arms around her. "Olivier! Is it really you!? Olivier!?"

"Kuri," Olivier says. "No, Miko Alchemist. I have come for my important mission."

"Important mission?"

"What is it..." Kuri thinks. "She's not like the Olivier of before. Stronger. Bigger."

"Roy!? Riza?!"

Ed recognized them and fell to his knees. The others followed suit.

"Greetings," he says. "I haven't seen something like this in many generations."

"We are the three warriors of the Otherworld!"

"Fullmetal Alchemist," Olivier says to Ed. "We will do whatever is necessary to make reparations for our rudeness. Forgive us, so we can protect this world. Since ancient times, we fought as spirits against invaders. We defended the Otherworld from a distance. You and the Otherworld have been resurrected again in this world. And we, too. Like you, it was promised we would be reincarnated. We have newly awakened on this planet. But it seems we are too late. Our full awakening came in the time of crisis. They are already invading. Deeply, quietly, they built their fortress. We've let these invading enemies slip through. It's our mistake."

"This woman who calls herself Queen Bandiane..." Kuri says. "Where did she come from?"

"Queen Bandiane?" says Roy. "Is that what she's calling herself? She was once a spirit like we are, protecting this world. She consumed part of Ed's spirit, making her immortal. She has taken part of his soul"

"The Bandiane comet," says Kuri. "That's what she said... Is that where they're from?"

"Yes," says Olivier. "She was banished by the Zodiac long ago, but she has returned. This land sparkles with a great power. The area of the Order is veiled in the great aura of a hidden power. She's probably been drawn to it."

"Intentionally... Accidentally..." Riza says. "A twist in the time and space here is occurring. They could be coming from it. And, unless we defeat this being, this world will be cornered into ruin."

"This being?" Ed asks.

"The one we are supposed to defeat," says Riza. "The biggest enemy. We almost had them. Until somebody interrupted us by barging in."

"Riza!" Roy says. "We're sorry for dragging you into this."

"But! You're like us!" says Ed. "Right?"

"But these enemies, against this false Queen," says Roy. "We must face against them. Interference is useless."

"We'll help you!" says Kuri.

"Don't," says Riza.

"What?"

"It's too much for you," says Roy.

"But! We've been fighting until now!" says Ed. "We're fighting too!"

"Until now it's been different! The form the akuma are taking, and the way they're invading, is a complete mystery. So defeating the biggest enemy is something you can't do. This is our jurisdiction."

"But...!" Ed says. "We can't even help you?"

"Ed," Roy says. "Don't waste our time. The mission must be accomplished smoothly."

"Come on, you can't be serious," says Kuri.

"We had to leave the Black Order because our cover was blown!" says Riza. "The enemies might come looking for us! Is that the kind of danger you want to face!? We live in those condominiums, to keep an eye on the Order. We will not fail. We will take out the being."

Ed stares at him.

"Don't look like that, Fullmetal," he says. "We didn't want to confuse you."

"We three have special powers you don't have. We've been awarded stronger powers and stronger items. Leave things to us." Olivier said.

"Wait," says Al. "What kind of thing is this biggest enemy? Is it that powerful an enemy?"

"Al." Olivier said.

"The stronger items you carry," Al says. "Are they the three talismans that will lead to ruin?"

"The ominous oracle..." says Kuri. "If the talismans must not be gathered... The talismans you use as weapons... What are they!? Your mission..."

"The talismans we carry, and our biggest mission, are to bury the biggest enemy. The god of ruin." Roy admitted.

"The god of ruin!?" Ed said in shock.

xxx

Later: Al reads the newspaper in the kitchen.

"'Members of the military have gone missing. They are looking for the responsible party. Dead bodies were found in the botanical garden. The garden has been closed, and the land development has been stopped.'"

"What next?" She thinks. "The akuma. And Roy, Riza, and Olivier. What do they want to do? The god of ruin. What could its true form be!?"

"So the mad scientist is causing an uproar again," says Al

"Al, do you know him?" Ed asks.

"He was a world-famous scholar of bio-alchemy. Seven, eight years ago. But he was probably too quick to announce his research, and he was banished by the scientific community."

Ed sat reading.

"Wherever I searched," he says, "there was no data on Professor Tucker past. Finally I found something."

"Life's work: 'Superhuman'?" Kuri said.

"He continually repeated his genetic experiments on animals, and was outcast by the scientific community. He put his experimental know-how out for sale, and it was bought up by the Infinity district. Two years later, there was a fire while the buildings were under construction. Daughter Nina (8) Critical condition.

"After that, all life vanished from the professor's face."

xxx

"Ohh..." says Queen Bandiane. "The source of life, the Snow Crystal, is losing strength. We must get it quickly... We will eat up the tiny souls of the humans soon. For my revival, take the infinite power similar to that of the Snow Crystal! The lights of protection should be gathered. Our ruin will be eliminated! We've finally found the land of peace. We won't give it up to anyone!"

Queen Bandiane walks to the pool of water. "The lights are rapidly gathering in this land. They're being drawn to the land's aura. Something is going to happen. The lights of the protection of three new spirits... This does not bode well. These lights are stronger than the others. Are these the carriers of the three talismans!? Is it too late to stop the path to ruin!? My reflecting pool is always clouded. The sailor soldiers are sending out a strong vortex from the innocence lights! Or else, is the cloudiness the fault of the increasing abnormal aura power in this land? This sacred land has seized the Black Orders abnormal aura, and the strong lights of the innocence protection. We can't escape..."

Professor Tucker walks in as Bandiane orders the last of the Witches, Cyprine, to do away with Ed.

Xxx

"Hey, Ed," Al says, holding the chalice. "This is pretty. What is it?"

"Oh, Al! That's the legendary holy chalice. I made it with Kuri! Say, Al, do you know about the holy chalice? During a sacred ceremony, it's a special cup you use to drink the wine and holy water."

"You've been working hard, like a soldier," says Al.

xxx

"Riza," Olivier calls. "The movie's starting!"

"Roy hasn't come," thinks Riza. "I've already waited nearly an hour. What's wrong?"

"You go on ahead," he says to Olivier. "I'll call Roy's room." He goes to a phone. "Nobody's answering... Maybe... she's fallen down again, and can't contact me..." He walks to the Research Labs.

"It's so cold here..." he thinks. "All those dark clouds..."

xxx

"I've completed the procedure to get you in the hospital," Ren said. "I'll go visit you there. Do you need anything?"

"Thanks, mother, I'm all right. After I stop by the lab, I'll head for the hospital."

Nina entered her room and gasped. The petri dish lies broken on the floor. A large crystal sits beside it, with a figure inside. "The crystal... It's growing this huge!? But how? It looks just like the form of a person...! What on earth..." He moans and doubles over. "It hurts... The number of fits is increasing... Am I starting to lose it...?"

Nina lies in a hospital bed. The spirit floats outside the window. "I was lonely..." Nina sits up. "Who's there? The window's opening?"

She floats out of the crystal she was closed in. "You have gotten the first piece of me," she says. "I am Queen Bandiane. I was named by you."

"You came to meet me...?" says Nina. "I'll probably die soon. I see. I don't worry. My parents died so long ago, and there's no one else who will grieve... I can die in peace. You can take me at any time."

"Lonely... I can somewhat understand your loneliness. I was also alone. All alone for four and a half billion years..."

Kuri sits outside the hospital in the falling snow. "Nina..." he thinks. "There's nothing I can do for you. But I want to see you..."

A nurse enters the room. "Nina-san? How are you feeling? If anything's changed..." She sees the spirit over Nina's unconscious body. She screams.

Kuri runs into the room and sees the nurse frozen in crystal by the spirit. "That thing!? That form... Oh no! An enemy!?"

"Who the hell!?" the spirit says.

Kuri attacked melting the room easily.

The spirit cries out. "I'll retreat for now!" She leaves.

Professor Tucker rushes into the room. "Kuri!?" She runs to him. He looks up at Kuri. "Kuri?! What's wrong? What happened?"

"Nina was attacked."

"Kuri!?"

Nina opens her eyes. "Daddy?"

"Nina!?"

"That crystal..."

"The crystal!?"

"It suddenly appeared from there... Queen Bandiane..."

"Queen Bandiane!?"

Xxx

"The dark clouds are spreading from the direction of the Infinity School," thinks Riza.

Cyprine appears outside. "Riza Hawkeye," she says. "I've found you."

The glass in the window shatters.

"Riza!?" Roy and Olivier think.

"Heh, you're here, Snow Dancer," Riza says, attacking with Mugen.

"Riza!" Roy calls.

"Roy! Olivier!"

"Carriers of the spirits!" says Cyprine. "The new warriors! You've appeared!"

"Riza! Roy! Olivier!" The others run in.

"Everyone!?" Riza says.

"Look!" says Kuri. "It's serious! The whole city... Hail is assaulting the city! All the people are suddenly bloodthirsty!"

Cyrprine unleashes some form of witchcraft making the two groups hungry to kill eachother.

"We will be the ones to kill you three!" Kuri said, under the spell.

"Kuri! What's wrong with—" Ed realized they were all under the spell. "What have you done to them?!"

"My spell only attacks the depths of the spirit and magnifies the blackness within, their true intentions are exposed and those are to prey on eachother." Cyprine cackles.

Ed attacked her, and A burst of light flashes. When it's gone, two identical figures smile.

"I am Cyprine," says one.

"And I am Pitol," says the other. "Together we are one."

"She split!?" Ed thinks.

"Where is the power similar to the Snow Crystal, Cyprine?"

"Together, no one can stop us, Pitol! Not even the innocence! Look!"

"We'll kill you, scum!" Riza, Roy and Olivier shout.

"Die!" shout the others.

"Everyone!" Ed calls. "Wake up! Don't fight! Be friends again!" He tried blasting them back.

"Nuisances!" Kuri shouts as she attacks them.

Ed holds Kuri down.

"Kuri!" Ed calls. "Al! Everyone! Stop it!"

"Damn!" says Al.

"Stubborn fools!" Ed says. "You're still attacking!"

"Heh heh..." says Cyprine. "Ahahaha!"

"Why must we fight!?" Ed thinks. "Are we all hostile in our souls!? No! Those three always came to save us."

"We defended the Otherworld from a distance."

"They fight to defend what's important! Their goal is to fight, just like us. We can't be led astray! Make our spirits one, to fight! We are alchemists!"

Kuri's eyes cleared.

Kuri and Ed join hands.

"Make our spirits one..."

Light glows around them.

The holy chalice appears above them.


	10. Death

The light shines on Ed's forehead.

"All our spirits into one...!"

"The holy chalice is shining!" Kuri thinks.

"Ed!?" says Al.

"Everyone...!" Ed commands in loud voice that rings with power, order and rule.

The six alchemists halt.

"Ed!?"

"Make our spirits one, to fight! We are alchemists!"

"Ed is..."

"Calling us..."

The three objects carried by the spirits glow.

"My talisman," says Riza. "The mirror..."

"My talisman," says Roy. "The sword..."

"My talisman," says Riza. "The staff..."

"They've started to resonate!?"

The lid on the chalice opens.

"Power to the Fullmetal Alchemist..."

"Power..."

The chalice shines as it rises above Ed.

He glowed as he took full power.

All the others glowed as their powers evolved.

"I feel..." Roy thinks. "Stronger!?"

"Ed!?" Riza says. "No, that's... the Fullmetal Alchemist!?"

"Fullmetal Alchemist!?"

"Fullmetal Alchemist!?" Cyprine and Ptitol gasp.

Xxx

Nina vanishes and collapses on her bed in Central, clutching her head.

Bandiane stares into the pool. "Ed! He powered up!?"

She looks into the sky. "Such grand energy! But the center of the power receives no damage!? I don't believe it! Fullmetal Alchemist! What on earth is this power!?"

Nina coughs hard, kneeling on the floor. "My forehead hurts... Like it's splitting... I'm nauseous... It hurts... From my throat, from my forehead, from my whole body, something is trying to get out. It must not get out! It mustn't!"

Her voice and manner changes. "Ed! That enormous power! What is it!? Does that give you all power!?" Nina stops coughing. Her eyes sparkle. "It's the power of the Fullmetal Alchemist," she says.

Xxx

"We won't be led astray any longer!" Ed shouts. "I won't hesitate anymore."

He attacks.

The bodies of Cyprine and Ptitol are distorted in a flash of light, and vanish.

Xxx

"Damnit!" says Bandiane. "Fullmetal Alchemist! My precious servants—defeated! The outsiders must be eliminated quickly. We were supposed to see the start of our new world here with the master. But things are happening like this! You have angered me, Ed!"

Nina holds her amulet from the string. Her eyes sparkle. The image of Bandiane is projected on the amulet.

"Heh heh," says Nina. "My Queen...and I am the true Queen. The true Princess of Darkness." She holds her head. "My forehead's splitting!" She cries out in pain as she collapses.

Xxx

"I...!? I powered up...!?" Ed thinks. "It suddenly came, then vanished. Power from the holy chalice..."

"Fullmetal Alchemist!" calls Roy.

"It was power from everyone..." Ed thinks. "Devoted to me from the holy chalice."

"The legendary holy chalice!?" thinks Kuri. "Is this the power of the legendary holy chalice!?"

"The talismans gave power to Ed...!" says Roy.

"There was this kind of power in our talismans..." says Riza.

"I don't believe it," Roy says. "The talismans were to awaken with a key... But like this..."

"Roy!" says Riza.

"I asked for all our spirits to become one," says Ed. "I asked for you to lend me your strength. We can surely work with each other. I want to save everyone. I want to defeat the enemies. We both felt that way. Then with the legendary holy chalice, I truly became the Fullmetal Alchemist. We can be as one like that. So we're the same kind of warriors. We're allies."

"Allies... Fullmetal Alchemist..." thinks Roy. "No matter what we did, the talismans lent their power to Ed so easily. The talismans are saying to tell Ed the truth. Tell her the truth, and she won't be able to fight. We're the same alchemists..."

They go to an apartment high in the building. "Riza's place."

"It's all messed up from the attack," says Ed.

"The window glass is shattered."

"I can't wait to see the bill for the cost of the glass," says Riza. "Plus the cost of redoing the broken furniture... However much it is, it's not enough. The rent here is one million a month."

"One million!?"

"Wh- Why is it so much!?" asks Al. "Are your parents paying for it!?"

"Ehehe," Riza says. "Since we have a patron, the price isn't a concern."

She looked at Roy.

"Roy..." says Riza. "Ed. No, Fullmetal Alchemist. In what we can trace of our memory now, we saw the three talismans activated. It has only happened once before. Do you remember? When the world was destroyed. Then, leaving the territory we were to protect wasn't permitted. From far away, we sat watching over it. From a distance, where we were home, we heard the final cry of the world."

"No, don't talk about that," Ed says. "It's like... my heart is breaking..."

Kuri holds him.

"What we carry, the strongest weapons of the outer solar system, the talismans, are beginning to resonate like we've never seen. We gathered them. Then, the beautifully shining talismans summoned, from the forbidden planet, the final warrior, who must not awaken. The warrior of darkness and destruction. Touched by Death's Spirit. Then we knew the end would come. We watched as she slowly brought down her death scythe and the world ended. Our power gave out."

"Death...!"

"The Spirit of Death appears at the moment of destruction. She takes all to nothing. She is the guide to death. When the three talismans are together, they will invoke the key that will call Death. We are the guardians of that key. The time when we gather them, the three talismans, that is the time of Death's awakening. The three talismans must not be able to be brought together. The time when Death awakens... Is the time of the death of this world. The time of the ruin of this world."

"Then these are the three talismans that will lead to ruin," says Al.

"But, in my dream," says Kuri, "somebody was calling for the talismans to be gathered. Who was that...?"

"The territories we are to defend are far apart. We were never supposed to meet. We were reincarnated as humans on this planet, and again we met. The talismans were calling out. Invaders from outside. We can't stop anymore. We sensed that. We followed the invaders to their home. We found it, in the center of the cursed Delta, right under our noses. The enemies were there. Then the soldier of destruction was reborn..."

The face of the soldier is reflected in Nina's mirror, held by Riza

"Oh my god..." Ed says.

"Is that... Nina?" says Roy. "Is Nina touched by death!?"

He glares at Riza.

"Is that why she left?! Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Death's awakening is near. The child's body is beginning to feel the effects."

"Nina's soul was calling for the talismans!?" thinks Kuri.

"Fullmetal Alchemist Ed," Riza says. "As you know, you have a future. The ruin can't happen here, now. This is an accident. Nina's soul was reincarnated. Somewhere the wheels of fate have gone wrong."

"Why is this happening...?" Kuri asks.

"We don't know."

"But!" Roy says. "Whatever happens, Death must not be allowed to awaken. Nina _has to live!_"

"What do you plan to do?" asks Al.

"Kill her. Then we'll completely seal Death away." Riza said.

Roy gasps, flames flying from his fingertips. "I WON'T LET YOU!"

"That's..." Ed says. "You're kidding, right!?"

"We don't know yet whether or not the three talismans will be activated. The talismans are resonating. They sent out the power to call Fullmetal Alchemist Ed. The talismans are full of power. Like the time... Like the time when the world was destroyed. The time when the talismans activate to call Death is near."

"And so you're going to kill her!?" Roy says. "There has to be another way!"

"If there was, we'd use it," says Riza. "We don't have long. The child's body... You've seen it, right, Roy? She was seriously ill from an accident when she was 6 years old. It was a miracle she returned from her coma alive. As she had the best mind, she was the result of her insane father's abominable work. The child's small body has already been worn out."

"Isn't there any way to save her?" Ed asks.

"There is only one way her body can be saved. That would be for her to become a soldier with power, and awaken as Death. But we can't let that happen."

"You have no right to cut off Nina's life to seal away Death!" Al says.

"So this world can live without following the path to destruction, we will kill the child. After we kill her, we'll defeat the enemies. If we do not, Death will surely awaken and destroy this world. Everything will vanish. Nothing will be left. We might not be able to stop it. But our mission now is to seal Death away before her awakening."

"No!" Roy shouts. "No! You can't kill her! There is a way to save her! Death might not awaken. The future exists. The world won't be destroyed! We'll help her. We can save everything! You can't kill her! I'LL SAVE HER!"

"I thought you'd say that," Riza says. "So you can't do the mission with me. This is where we part. You may hate me. For you, we may be enemies. Since there is no other way, I will do my duty. I will save the world."

She runs off and disappears in a flash of light.

"Riza!"

"Nina is Death, who will call the ruin..." thinks Roy. "Nina...Those deep eyes with a wondrous power. She always looked depressed. Nina..." He runs away.

"Roy!" Kuri calls.

"It can't happen!" He thinks. "I have to save her! I'm going to Nina's place! She can't be killed!" She climbs over the fence of the research lab. "This time I won't run away. Whatever form she's in, whoever she is, whatever her destiny is. She's my—-!"

Riza sit above in a tree. "Is that... Roy!?"

Roy runs to the door and sees Nina sprawled on the floor.

Nina's eyes open. They sparkle. A gust of wind blows out, shattering the glass of the door.

"What!?" Bandiane thinks.

"That sound!?" thinks Soichiro.

"Roy!" Ed and Kuri call, sensing their friend's fatal danger.

A hand snakes out from Nina, and delved deep in Roy's chest. It dragged out a blazing red light—his inner alchemy—and dragged it away. Roy collapses.

"Roy!" Ed calls. He runs to Roy with Kuri.

Nina's eyes glow, and her hair grows out long, all over the floor around her. Her eyes are dead, her skin like rotting flesh, and she held Roy's flame.

"Ed!" Al calls as he appears with the others.

Nina glares up at them, and they're all forced back.

"That's-!? Is that Nina!?"

"Oh no!" Ed thinks. "Death!? Has she awakened!? The talismans aren't activating! So that's-! That spirit...it's...something's wrong with it!"

He remembered the monster panda spirit that had been angered after the Fire Nation destroyed the forest. Ed took a step toward the transformed girl.

Nina smiles as a black star shines on her forehead. "I've got it," she says. "I've got it! His alchemy is mine! I've awakened! Heh heh! Ahahahaha!"

Kuri holds the unconscious Roy in her arms. "Roy!?"

"Roy!?" Ed says. "His body's cold... Roy!? He's not breathing!?"


	11. Flame's Power

"I can't do anything," Kurai says. "He's dying."

Ed gasps. "No... It can't be..."

"Roy! Roy!?"

"His body's stiffening..." Ed says. "And getting cold... Nina... killed him!"

"His soul has been stolen.", comes the voice of Riza.

"Riza!" Ed says. "His soul!?"

"The spirit Bandiane have targeted the souls of humans," says Riza. "They steal spirits. Then they unite the soulless bodies as vessels. The utilization. They convert human bodies into one. Those are Bandiane's creatures!"

"Steal spirits!? Human bodies into one!? Then, Nina... That form... was..."

"It was not the awakening of Death," says Riza. "The three talismans are not yet activating."

"I hadn't thought about this happening," says Riza. "Nina was long ago utilized by them. That isn't Nina any longer. It's an enemy! When she took Roy's alchemy, she was also stealing Roy's spirit."

"Roy and Nina..." says Ed. "What will happen to them!?"

"The spirits of the utilized ones," Riza says, "live as sustenance. But even if the utilization is a success, they will soon revert to monsters. If that happens... then they cannot be saved. It's impossible after that, whatever form they take living in this world."

"The ones we defeated before," thinks Ed, "were humans merged with enemies... If they change into monsters soon, they can't be saved...!"

"Nina has already been seized by the enemies," says Riza. "But it will be easy to do. Soon she will suffer and be destroyed. We will kill her before she suffers."

"But...!"

"She has Roy's spirit and his alchemy!" she says. "What would you have us do!? If you want Roy saved, you have to fight and take them back! If we don't kill her, we'll be killed. Even if Death doesn't awaken, destruction will come. Kill or be killed. Which would you choose? We're going. Not just for Roy, but to save everyone!"

"Right," Ed thinks. "Unless we save the planet... The enemies I've defeated before... Humans and enemies merged... And Nina, too..."

Kuri looks down at Roy. "If it keeps going like this," he says. "Roy's blood not flowing... He really will die. Let's take him to my place."

"There's no time," Ed thinks. "If we don't hurry and get her spirit back... We won't be able to save Roy!"

They go to Kuri's apartment.

"Roy's body and mine are linked," Kuri says. "I'll use my body's life maintenance system to keep Roy's body alive." She holds Roy's hand, and it starts to glow.

"But then your body will be burdened..." says Ed.

"It's all right. Roy and I are one now. I can at least keep this one body alive. It's no problem, it'll be fine."

Ed sits by Roy's bed, tearing up.

"Could you leave us alone for a while?" Kuri asks the others.

They look at Roy, then leave the room.

"Roy... I can't choose. Roy. Nina. The people of this planet. I can't abandon them! I can't choose between them for us. Will it not just lead to ruin? Us... And then the world..."

Ed feels Roy's hand. "Kuri's power is spreading," he thinks. "It feels like Roy's alive. What should I do? What..."

"Ed."

Kuri kisses him.

"Oh," he thinks. He sees the image of a devastated city. A shadowed figure stands atop a ruined pillar. "Again. This vision... "

"We'll get them back, Ed," he says. "Roy's spirit, and his alchemy. We'll do everything we can. Don't lose hope. Hope..."

"That vision..." he thinks. "Is that... the Ultimate Power? Or else, Death?"

Xxx

Nina cuts off a lock of her long, dark hair. "I cut and I cut, it grows back," she says. "Crappy hair. This is limited and inconvenient, being a vessel. I'm uncomfortable in this human body."

Professor Tucker rushes into the room with Bandiane. "Niña!" he says as he kneels. "We have been awaiting your arrival. For a long time. We transplanted the egg into my daughter, Kurai. Completely undivided, I thought you might not awaken."

Niña grabs her head.

"She's awakening now..." thinks Bandiane.

Niña walks to the stone hall.

"Oh, I've been waiting for this," Bandiane says. "Niña!"

"Great Queen Bandiane!" She raises her hand, and energy flows to Bandiane.

"You've just awakened," Bandiane says, "and you're already bringing power. What power is this!? These souls are the beginning...!"

"Bandiane, one moment. This is not from souls. It's the Flame Alchemist's alchemy. The source of the alchemy of the leader of this country. I've finally gotten it. We can keep this great power to ourselves. The alchemy!" She goes to her room, carrying the light. "Wondrous light. Like something dwells inside it. It puts me at ease with its holy brilliance."

"Naturally. It's defended by Roy's strong, powerful spirit."

"Who's that!? Is it someone inside of me trying to push out...? It's because of my spirit. It's giving me strength... With this Flame, there's nothing for us to fear anymore!"

"Hey, Niña!" Tucker says. "We're running out of eggs. The utilization, to steal souls by planting the eggs, is the only way for us to live in this world."

"But, the completion of the master's utilization will become unnecessary. The birth of our new world is close at hand. Heh heh! Ahaha! Close at hand!"

Bandiane stands in the center of a circle on the ground. Smoke surrounds her. A bat flies in. She grabs it in the air and rips out its heart, squeezing the blood into a glass. "Our servants," she says. "Before my warriors are resurrected..." Five figures steam from the glass, taking the shape of the sailor soldiers. "I will place a curse on these ones. A curse that will never be lifted... Heh heh heh..."

Xxx

Ed walks down the street, and sees the others. "Everyone!" she says. "Let's go. To get Roy's spirit back! To the Academy!"

As they approach the center of the Delta, they see the building overgrown with trees and vines.

"The Academy has gotten like this overnight..."

"It's full of amazing energy," says Al. "The air, the plants, the building. The abnormal power is making everything go mad."

"The power is forming into a dome shape over the Infinity zone," says Al. "It looks just like an omega shape."

"Let's go," says Al.

"Al," thinks Ed. "Am I choosing the wrong path...? If I do this, will we not be able to fight together?"

"Fullmetal Alchemist Edward Elric..." Riza thinks. "It's regrettable, but I will put Nina to death. To death..."

"Heh heh... They're here. The carriers of the powerful light. Along with the Fullmetal Alchemist." A door appears though the trees.

"An entrance opened!?" They walk into the building.

The two identical women bow. "Greetings. Welcome to the Infinite Labyrinth."

"Cyprine!? Ptitol!?"

Xxx

Al sees darkness all around him. "What the-!? Ed!? Where is everyone!?" He sees a sign in the hallway that says, "Etiquette Class." He rushes into the room.

"How impolite," says Eudial. "As instructor of manners and etiquette at the Infinity School, Arimura Yuuko, I'll teach you a lesson."

"Eudial!?" Al thinks. "But I defeated her before!" The door slams shut behind her. "Oh no! I don't have time to fight you!"

"Too bad! I am Eudial, warrior of the flame! You have been selected as my match!" She jumps up and kicks Al down.

Sokka gets to his knees, breathing hard.

"You really don't want to fight?" Eudial asks. "I see. You don't have the fighting spirit. You won't only fight for Aang. Your whole body is saying you want to know etiquette and military arts."

Xxx

"Everyone!?" Ed calls. "Oh no! Have we been split apart!? Have we fallen into enemy hands!? That was careless. Where is this!? Everyone...?"

Al appears before her, scratched and bruised.

"Al!" The figures begin to melt.

"It's your fault we're coming apart," he says. "We won't fight anymore..." He jumps at Ed, covering him in melted goop.

Roy appears behind him. "It's your fault, Ed." He grabs eD around the throat.

"Ow! You're... hurting me... Mustang...!?"

"We'll help you too, Roy," says Riza.

"We think you're an annoyance, Ed!" says Nina.

"Nina! Roy! Riza!"

"I want to be free, Ed!" says Kurai. "I'll kill Roy and Riza! And then Ed! You too!"

"Kurai!"

Xxx

Kuria jumps up from her chair beside Roy. "Ed!? He's being bewitched! Ed!"

Xxx

"No! I can't be bewitched! You're hallucinations! Everyone!" His hands begin to glow. Light flashes around him, and he's alone. "Everyone!?"

"Ed!" says Riza. She shows him her mirror. It shows a tall, thick column, holding the body of Al.

"We'll break through the barrier!" Riza says and snaps the barrier with her mirror's power. They rush inside to the column and free the others.

Ed hugs Riza. "Yes..." he thinks. "It really is the same feeling. They couldn't abandon us. Together... I wanted to fight. We'll join our powers to fight. Then if my power becomes strong... Even the impossible can approach possibility."

They put their hands together. Light begins to glow.

"That light!" thinks Bandiane.

"Fullmetal Alchemist!" Riza calls. "Up! The president's office!" They go up to the 56th floor of the building, and run into the office, where Bandiane is. Five figurines are on a table. "Those are-! Wax dolls shaped like us!?"

"You've undone the finest work of Queen Bandiane," Bandiane says. "You won't bother us anymore!" She mutates into a giant monster.

"A monster!"

"I'll save this planet!" Ed shouts and attacks.

The monster vanishes in a swirl of light. The amulet drops to the floor and shatters.

"Whatever delusions fill this labyrinth," Ed says, "I won't give up hope! Let's search! For Nina!"

"She's found her way to this fortress," thinks Niña. "She even blew away Queen Bandiane. Although...she was no true Queen of Darkness. That title belongs to me! Avatar Aang! The time has come. The time for this world to be our sacred land. There's no longer anything for us to fear." Her eyes sparkle. "With the alchemy of the Flame Alchemist..." Power flows out of the crystal in her hands, into her body.

xxx

Roy's body begins to glow.

"Roy!?" Kurai says.

xxx

"Ohh... Strength! From deep in my body, I'm filling with it! As soon as I took it in, my insides were overflowing! This is the power of the Flame Alchemist's Alchemy! Oh, I can feel it! The power! The light of life similar to Death itself! It's been opened! So that is the power of the Flame Alchemist!"

At that moment a pair of silvery blue eyes opened deep within the soul of the demonic Niña.

Nina was waking up—and she wasn't going to allow Roy to die.


	12. Protection

Roy's body glows.

"Roy!?" Kurai says. "This light!? What's happening!?"

His eyes open.

"Heh heh heh!" Niña says. "More power! Open up more power!"

Roy's body begins to shake. "Roy!?"

"No!" Nina says. "I have to hold it in... The power must not be increased further! The power must not be opened! The power of the Roy's Alchemy cannot be sent out easily to you!"

Niña cries out. "My forehead! My forehead is splitting! It's scorching! Ohhh... Somebody is controlling my body from inside me! I have to endure a little more. My Queen. If I complete the utilization, I won't have such an inconvenient body... I'll get rid of it. I'll rule this puny world!"

"That can't happen!"

Roy floats through the air. "Where is this!? It's dark, and scary. Why am I here?Something's been coming after me! I'm scared! Somebody help me!"

"Roy Mustang..." Nina calls.

"Huh?" Roy looks around and sees a flame. "Oh. My Alchemy!" He floats down to get it. "Great. I was worried when I didn't have it. Without it my body couldn't hold up. It's a part of my body."

"That's right. It is of one mind with you and your heart. You can't be away from it. And you shouldn't easily show it to people. Protect your spirit softly."

"Who are you?"

"It's all right," Nina says. "I'll give you protection. I won't let them get your beautiful, pure spirit, and your alchem. I'll be sure to save you."

"The Alchemy has weakened!?" says Niña. It is because Roy has control over it again.

"Roy!?" says Kurai. "He convulsions stopped!? Her hand... is warm. Is somebody... protecting Roy's spirit!?"

xxx

The others are all inside the Labyrinth now.

"You can see Central from here," says Ed. "Lots of buildings under construction... Like ruins hiding black monsters... Ruins... That image of ruins... I don't want to think that's a vision of the future! I want to defeat these enemies, whose form we can't see, quickly. I want to live without feeling this anxiety, and return to the peace of before! Unless we hurry and rescue Nina, Roy's spirit, and his alchemy... The time of Death's awakening... The time of the end of the world... Can we return to the peace of before...? Roy...! Nina..."

"No good," says Al, his eyes looking out. "I can't get a read on the internal structure or their coordinates. And I can't find any life signs at all..."

"A lot of strong power is accumulating in the Infinity zone," says Al. "It has a strong influence. Now this land is becoming chaotic."

"Let's go to the basement," Riza says. "The labs are concentrated in the basement. We might be able to encounter the daimons."

"Let's divide into two groups," says Al. "While we investigate the floors one by one, down from this one, the 56th, you go down to the bottom. Ed, take the elevator to the basement with Riza. I'll go alone."

"Two groups..." Ed thinks.

Al smiles. "Be careful." He leaves.

"Alphonse..." Ed calls faintly.

"Let's go," Riza says. "To the basement." They get in the elevator.

"Heh heh heh," Shou Tucker says, working in the lab. "Seems they've boarded the elevator. A death sentence. The pretty ones who carry the lights of the planets' protection. The time has come! The grand occasion of the fruits of my long-awaited dream! My life-work. The superhuman. Hundreds of times a human's brains and physical strength. Tens of times longer a lifespan. Just a little more genetic operation and medicine administration. Then it will be possible to make the cyborg. I'm a genius. They'll be sorry they outcast me. For my research, I've chosen Central. The heavens gave me another chance since the accident. After the accident, I greatly reconstructed Nina's body. It was the birth of the fruit of my dream, the superhuman. During that biggest experiment..."

A blast strikes the building.

"Professor!" Bandia calls. "Lightning!" A bolt hits her.

"Bandia!"

"They descended... Carrying eggs from another world. God chose me. I made a blunder in Kurai's great reconstruction. I found a chance to use an egg of the utilization. I produced beautiful, perfect beings. Next, our loving monster! I won't miss making the failures for us, the rulers of the Black Dream hole. My experiments are for you. If our master's utilization is completed, we can survive completely. But I will continue the utilization by all means! I will get more perfect ones like me! A human has been united with foreign living things. I am clearly the inventor of the new creation, the superhuman. I am its god!"

"Dad..." Nina thinks.

The elevator descends.

"I- I'm nauseous..." Ed says.

"You okay, Fullmetal Alchemist?" Riza asks. "Guess even the Fullmetal Alchemist can't go against gravity on an elevator."

"It's picking up speed," Ed thinks. "Just like... I'm falling endlessly to hell... Scary..."

"I wonder if Al is okay," Ed says.

"Did you want to go with him?" asks Riza. "He should be fine."

"Aren't you scared? Never mind! Being trapped in this building of ghosts and this never-ending elevator is getting to me. From here on, we'd fight the big enemy. Or so I thought. I feel like I'm all alone. It's scary. I just feel a bad premonition coming..."

"Don't call this solitude," Riza says. "Solitude extends more, infinitely. Like the places where we were."

"Tell me," Ed says. "What kind of places were you at, Riza?"

"Deserted places. Where there's nobody. Completely alone. No one will come to help you. Lonely places."

"This is taking long," Riza says. "Too long."

"I'm worried about the others," says Ed.

The elevator shakes around. The door opens, and they're tossed out of it. They fall through the darkness.

"Fullmetal Alchemist!"

"Riza!" Ed calls. He loses sight of them. "Darkness everywhere. I'm scared...! Reiko! I can't hear her voice! Where are they!? Al! I'm worried. We shouldn't have separated back there. Kurai, Nina, Roy! Without everyone, I can't do anything. What should I do!? All alone here is the darkness. What can I do!?"

_"That was our only ray of light."_

_"When that light shined, it brought us strength. There was nothing we couldn't do."_

_"Whenever we were about to give up, that light always led us on."_

Ed sees a point of light high above.

"Always... Everyone is shining on me, leading me... When I'm about to be crushed, I always remember. I'm carrying a light in my heart too. That's the spirit of all of us, in one. Just believe. For the moment that light shines down...!"

He raises his arm to the light.

"I am the Fullmetal Alchemist! With the strength given to me by everyone, I will shine through the darkness and make it light! I won't yield to any darkness or delusions!"

He attacked, using alchemy.

Ed and Roy crash to the bottom of the elevator. The door opens.

"Welcome to my lab," Shou Tucker says. "I've been looking forward to this. Heh heh. My pretty monsters are feeling hungry."

The monsters chase after Ed.

Riza attacked with her powers, and The monster tear apart.

"Heh heh heh! Still more! I can make any amount of monsters! Ahahaha!"

"Stop it!" Ed says. "We don't want to fight you here. Where's Nina!?"

"Nina? Formerly my daughter. She's at the holy sanctuary now, devoting the light similar to the Crystal Points, the power of Roy's Alchemy, to our Queen!"

"Queen!?"

"The Queen's quickening has finally begun! It's too bad, but this place will be your graveyard! You will be my first victims! I am Gelm!" He mutates into a large monster.

"A monster!?"

"I am not like the monster," he says. "I am a superhuman! The union of human and outside life! Die!" A blast of light shoots out. The soldiers jump away.

"Until seconds ago, this was Nina's father!" Ed thinks. She narrowly dodges an attack.

"This isn't a human anymore!" Riza says. "It's a monster! An enemy!"

She attacked; The monster knocks her away.

"Riza!" Ed calls. He attacked.

The monster is ripped apart in a burst of light. The poor man's soul had been utilized long ago, along with Bandia's.

"Dad... The gentle dad since mom died... The dad who came to save me... He wasn't my dad anymore... Goodbye, Dad..." Nina said.

"Who's that!?" Ed says. "It... seemed like someone was there..."

The ground begins to shake.

"Something's coming!" Riza says.

She used her powers and a sphere of light forms around them.

"What's that!?" Ed says. "Something's crashing out through the ceiling!? He's up there! Al!"

"Is something coming from below!?" Al says.

The floor breaks apart as light blasts through it. The two are thrown into the air.

"Fullmetal Alchemist!?"

"My powers came undone! Did the connection of spirits break!? Did something happen to the others' bodies!? Al!"

They float up through the hole in the ceiling, outside. The sky above is swirling with colors.

"The sky!?"

They see a glass room at the building's entrance.

"Something's inside the building! That's...!"

Niña stares at them with a demonic grin. "Heh heh heh."

"That's... Nina!?"


	13. Death and Life

Ed stands atop a pillar in the crescent moon's light.

"That light always led us on... Just like the Fullmetal Alchemist..."

"Something strange is happening to the sky!?" Reiko says.

"Nina!?" Ed calls. "No, that form is... A monster!?"

The earth rips open in front of the building, and the building is torn apart. It collapses in the center of the Delta.

"Central Command!"

The reflecting pool soars into the air, carrying four balls of light with it. Two bodies are held inside.

"That's...!? Al!" Ed flies after them. "Al!" As he approaches, he's knocked away. "I can't get near it! Everyone!?"

"Look!" Reiko says. "That...!? Something's covering the sea! That's...!?"

"We interrupt this for a national emergency broadcast!" the TV reporter says. "This is an emergency warning announcement! First class martial law has been officially declared in the London coast area! A mysterious giant explosion is occurring in the coast area! The center of the Delta is also experiencing a severe earthquake of unknown magnitude. Martial law has been declared! Residents should take refuge at once..."

"Heh heh heh..." says Niña. "The time has come. Now with the energy that's been accumulated, Queen Bandiane will assimilate this planet. The time of the utilization!"

"Assimilate this planet!?"

"When the utilization is completed, this land will be one with Queen Bandiane. It will become a Black Hole. This planet will become our mother world! Heh heh heh! Ahahahaha!"

Riza looks in her mirror, then toward the sea.

"Riza!?"

"The sea is subsiding all at once," she thinks. "Is it foreboding a tidal wave!?"

"The sky is looking strange," thinks Riza. "Is a storm coming? Or else, is something coming through the space...?"

"If things go like this, there will be a huge earthquake," thinks Riza.

Riza jumped into the air.

"Riza!" Ed calls.

"I must protect this land."

She landed on top of a building in the corner of the Delta.

Riza raised her weapon. "This planet where I was born."

Riza raised her weapon. "I will defend this world!"

Riza cried. "That is my mission!"

A beam of light shot into the sky, meeting above the Black Order.

"Making a force field?" Niña says. "Useless."

"Riza!" Ed calls.

"When the master's utilization is completed, it will no longer be necessary for me to stay inside a human body!" She bends over. "I can't work freely!? I can't get out!"

"You won't escape!"

"Who's that!?"

"This body is still mine," Nina says. "You won't get out of it! I won't let you be free!"

"I thought you has disappeared near the food inside me. But you're still living, stubbornly. Your tiny soul! I took in the alchemy and powered up. Now I have no reason to control you. I will cast off this body and break it to pieces!"

"You can tear it to pieces! It will scatter apart! But Roy's spirit, and his alchemy. Whatever happens, I'll protect them!"

"Impudent humans! Nobody will stop me!"

Ed attacked.

Khione raises her arm, and Ed is knocked back.

"From the alchemy," she says, "you can't take my power! Power! More power!" She looks up at the pool in the air. "The souls!"

"Al!"

The light left their bodies, and they collapsed in the empty pool.

Ed flew up to them. "Everyone! Hold on!"

Niña licks her lips.

"Oh no!" Ed says. "Did she steal their spirits!? No...!"

Nina sees the Al's soul floating in space. She goes over and clutches the ball of light.

"Troublesome worms!" Niña says. "Bring me souls!" Nina cries out in pain.

"With the power of my body, I might be able to protect the alchemy, and the spirits of Roy and Al...! My spirit was seized by them. It is my death... But why is this all I can do? My dad is gone... I have nothing anymore... But why do I still have power? If I'm this strong... Inside of me, I feel another, bigger me. That me is saying to keep life, and save everyone. All I can do is to take these spirits, and Roy's alchemy, and rescue them from here!"

A ball of light bursts out of Niña. "Damn!" she says. "The souls are being taken away! But, now I am free!"

Ed looks up. "That white light..."

Two lights come out of it, and go into the bodies of the exorcists. They slowly open their eyes.

"Everyone!" Ed says. He faintly sees Nina watching her, smiling. Lenalee turns into a ball of light and flies away.

"Nina!"

xxx

Kurai opens her eyes. She gets up and feels Roy's forehead. "I dozed off. Roy..."

Nina's spirit sits in the open window.

"Who are you!?" Kurai says.

Two lights enter the room. One goes into Roy body, the other becomes his alchemy and sinks inside his chest.

Roy opens his eyes.

"Roy!"

"Kurai..." Roy sits up, and sees the spirit.

"Good."

"Nina!?"

"I was able to save you, Roy. I'm happy. It's good."

Niña mutates into a large monster.

Nina screams.

"Nina!?"

"Goodbye."

Her spirit fades away. "Nina!?"

Xxx

"Nina...?" Ed thinks.

"This... This sad fate..." thinks Roy. "Nina... There are people who must live this fate..."

Kurai's fist tightens. "Roy," he says. "Can you fight with me, to help Ed?"

Roy looks up. "I can fight. I won't cry anymore. I am a soldier too. With the life Nina brought back to me, I'll fight with all my might!" He clutches his fists. He wipes his eyes. "Let's go fight together!" He runs out of the room.

"Amazing," Kurai thinks. "Wondrous, full of power. It's more like I've been given strength from Roy. And Nina's power too. Ed! I'll be there soon!"

The monster roars as it rises over the Black Order

"Ed!" Al says. "That thing! What is it!? It looks strange. It seems like it's in pain!"

The monster screams as it approaches them.

"Oh no!"

Roy attacked with his fire.

The monster falls back.

"Roy!"

"Roy!" Ed says. "How...?"

"Nina saved me," he says. "She gave her life, and protected me."

"Lenalee gave her life..." Ed thinks. "She's gone... Lenalee..."

"What are you doing!" Kurai calls. "Quickly! Fight!"

"Kurai!"

"If you don't act, this planet will be eaten away by that thing! Reiko is using a huge amount of power to sustain that force field. Hurry and defeat it!"

"Ed!" the others say.

"Yes," Ed thinks. "I must protect it. I must save this planet!"

Ed clapped his hands together..

"Now join our power together!"


	14. Ending and Beginning

Ed covers Kurai as explosions rip apart the city. Buildings collapse to the ground.

"Everyone... Everyone... Disappearing." The sea crashes around them. "The world... is ending..."

Kurai drops to her knees, tears in his eyes.. "Nina...I couldn't protect you...!"

"Fullmetal Alchemist..." Riza says.

"Damn," Al says. "Can't we do anything!? Everything will be destroyed. I... I just wanted to protect that girl! That was all!"

A point of light appears in the center of Central. It rises up into the air, clearing everything away. A figure lies inside the sphere of light.

"Fullmetal Alchemist...!" Roy calls.

Ed opens his eyes, eyes glowing.

The others all look up.

"The Alchemy!" Kurai says.

Ed looks at himself. "I...?"

"Attack! Attack!" the monster says. "To this world! Reduced to being drawn by gravity to the darkness of the graveyard! Our home of death!"

"It's beautiful," says Nina. "The suffering of the moment of destruction. Now! Right away! The guide to death will lead to the world of silence and nothingness!"

"Death!?" Ed says. "Like this, we'll be drawn to outer space together!"

"Oh no!" the others think. "Together!?"

"I don't feel despair," Nina says. "Along with death, there is always hope and rebirth. You will cause that, Edward," indicating that although Nina can bring death and destruction, Ed is the one who can bring back life and rebirth.

"Death...!"

"Fullmetal Alchemist, because you opened up the power of the alchemy, you can save this planet. For my rebirth, I eliminate death and destruction. Soon the world will be this chosen land. The sacred power is on your side. Kurai! Forever shut the passage to the other world!"

"Nina!"

"Hurry!"

"My sacred power!" Kuria says. " Give me power! Close the door of the broken law!"

The Gate appears, sucking in energy.

Death smiles as she slowly fades into it. The door closes.

"Nina!" Ed yells.

It vanishes.

Ed stares into the sky.

"Along with death... Hope and rebirth begin."

He raised his hands into the air. Buildings are reconstructed, and the people wake up.

"The city..." Al says. "The people are being resurrected!"

"Ed...?"

Ed stands atop a devastated pillar in the center of the ruined building, holding up his hands.

"The messiah..." Kurai says. "So it was you... Ed."

They hear a cry from below. "Someone is" Roy runs to the sound. He finds Nina lying there naked, a cloth over her.

"Nina?" Roy says.

"She was reincarnated...?" says Riza.

"I will take care of you." Roy put his jacket on her and helped her up.

"We will be her parents." Riza said.

The two kissed.

"Nina! Roy! Riza!" Ed says.

"Fullmetal...!"

"We'll be going," Roy says. "Since we've been given a new mission. Since you're important."

"You're going?" Kurai says. "Where?"

"We'll see," Nina says. "Maybe far away. Maybe close."

"Will we see you again?"

"Yes, of course," Roy says. "Kurai. We're allies. We'll certainly meet again."

"Right," says Riza. "We're allies. We'll meet again soon. For sure. Kurai, Ed, Al... We love you. We will return to you again." She hands them her mirror. "A sign of our promise."

"Nina...!" Kurai says.

"Look in this mirror. Until we meet again, become a stronger, stronger soldier. Protect our precious world."

The three disappear with the baby. "Nina! Riza! Roy!" Ed calls.

Ed and Kurai run to the place where Roy lives. They go up to his room. "Roy!?" They burst through the door, and see the room empty.

The other two find the same thing at Riza's home. They all hear a noise outside, and rush to the patio decks.

The two are driving off.

"We will surely meet again. Riza. Roy. And Nina. Again, someday... Surely!"


End file.
